Aiken Fall Steeplechase

The Fall Races bring people from every walk of life out to enjoy each other and the horses.  As I watched the clouds clear, the kids gallop on their stick horses and friends salivating over tailgate spreads, I remembered it was Aiken Fall Hunt Meet that brought us to town in the rain with horses to get points in the NSA series years ago.  I came home again to Aiken many seasons for horse racing and Saturday, I was happy to be at home atlast with a camera, Al's Race Day Punch watching horses fly for home. 

The evening before the race day we have a benefit party for the Hitchcock Woods and this year the theme was Gamekeeper's Lodge.  The Headliners played great music and Berry's Catering and floral provided an excellent menu and Ranco coveredit all with a peak tent.

Aiken is such a special place to call home.  Events like the Fall Fete    and Races make living here an exciting adventure.  Next year we celebrate Aiken's 175th birthday with a year long calender of events that highlight the History of Aiken And the Future of our community.

I am a Land consultant and Buyer's Representative and hope to work with people that want to embrace Aiken living and be happy to be home atlast.

Visit www.janepagethompson.com to findout more about how I can help you call Aiken home.

Active Rain Praised at NAR for being One of Real Estate's Key Trends for Success!

That's right for those of you that did not make it to Orlando, or did not get to the Economic Issues and Residential Real Estate Business Trends Forum, you missed Active Rain praise!

Lawrence Yun, NAR's Chief Economist and one of USA Today's top market analysts and dynamic marketing strategist, Stefan Swanepoel gave a comprehensive forum about where the housing market went wrong and what we as REALTORS need to do to fix it.   And, Yes, Active Rain is a part of the solution to the Global Economic Crisis.  Well, AR may not be the only fix, but social networking sites for the Real Estate industry were a major part of Swanepoel's path to change the future of our industry.

I try to hear Lawrence Yun speak whenever I can.  He is direct and to the point and his predictions or subtle remarks have proved to be strong pearls of wisdom, that I love to soak-up with a sponge.  You can read or listen to Yun's economic theories and reports on www.REALTOR.org.

Swanepoel's approach to change beats anything that I have heard from a Political candidate in decades.  He has been a part of starting Real Estate Wiki, which I found through Active Rain and is a good source for definitions and explanations of the terms we hear and read about within the industry.

The most important thing that I have learned while on Active Rain and while I have been attending these Conferences is that Real Estate is THE leading economic and social indicator.  As REALTORS, not only do we hold our selves to a higher ethical standard, but we need to raise the bar to enter our profession.

As the preamble to the REALTOR Code implies, we have a greater duty to the national market security than we do to an individual sale.  This point has been forgotten and these two seasoned gentlemen reminded me of this fact again, today!  Not that they said this, but while hearing only 55% (if you were there you know) of the facts, their sentiments sparked this within my feeble mind.

Go forth and Socialize on Active Rain, and while you do so, you are helping  change the image of our industry and working to turn the economy around through positive interaction!  Come sing in the Rain with me!

Posted by proud Active Rainer Member- Jane Page Thompson, Aiken, SC

(Photos used in this post are from previous posts of mine and are from Stefan Swanepoel's website.  I have only written about my recollections of their speeches.)

If the Shoe Fits . . . The REALTOR should, too!

As REALTORS, we are always trying to find the fairytale, happy ending house for our clients.

Sometimes we look at so many different styles both our clients and ourselves are left in a muddle of confused images: some are too small, others too large; but when we find the house that fits "just right"- we all know it.

The same should be true when trying to find the REALTOR that is Just Right, too!  As a BUYER or SELLER, choosing an agent should be approached with the same commitment.

Do you want to feel coddled and cared for . . . ?     

        Secured and Protected, at all cost . . . ?

Do you want to fit in with the crowd or have an agent that will tap dance just for you . . . ?

Just like in finding a house, you should list the things you want in your Agent.

• Years of experience or A Fresh New Perspective
• Savvy Negotiation Skills or Matter of Fact Opinion
• Hard Sale or Soft Touch, Smooth and Polished or Coy and Surprising
• In it for the Closing or Committed to the Community
• A Tour Guide or Welcome Wagon

Whether you like broken-in leather boots, designer pumps or practical flats; You know what you need and want in a House.  REALTORS come in many styles, too.  Find the one that best fits your needs and stick with them because they will stick with you until you move in or sell.

If you want a Veteran or Newbie; A Gold Jacket or Independent- find the right Agent for your goals and the process will be even better when you Close!  If the shoe fits- The Realtor will, too!

Blog Posted by: Jane Page Thompson, Aiken, SC

"I sell Dirt in a Skirt" - and wear Merrell Mary Jane's with sport treads to do it in!

[The Photos used in this blog are from the Wikipedia Website on Shoes and from www.bunnyslippers.com and www.eluxury.com and www.merrell.com]

                              VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

I know we are all tired of the Political Grandstanding and the Campaign Ads.  We have been exposed to the rhetoric for way too long and this election year has made the case for time limits on Campaigns, but we ALL need to VOTE!

Today, a lady at the grocery store told her friend or daughter, shopping mate; that she was so sick of all of the hype that she was not going to VOTE.  Her friend expressed apathy and said she agreed and that her vote would not matter anyway.

I was at boiling point hearing these women speaking so casually about their VOTE.  Have they forgotten the lives sacrificed for us to have a free VOTE and the women that foughtfor us to have an equal VOTE?  Regardless of How you Vote, Please VOTE!  Put it in your schedule to do and go VOTE November 4th!

                   God Bless America! 

A Chance to Shine Contest: Shine in reflected Glory!

As Fall fades into Winter, as Halloween turns to Christmas; the greatest time in the calendar year gets wrapped up into turkey stuffing between halves in a football game.

Thanksgiving has become the day we rest up before we go Christmas Shopping.  Yes, we go to Plymouth Rock with our kids' construction paper Pilgrims and Wahooing Indians, but we do not allow ourselves to feel truly thankful.

As I search for ways to "shine" on the Internet in this new forum of Blogging, I can not help but think about what makes me shine.

It is not fancy listings  . . .               

      Political satire   . . .  or even . . .

Points for commenting on ActiveRain (although those are nice)   . . .     But my FAMILY. . .

The wonderful feeling of belonging that happens, even when crazy Aunt Lissa brings snow pea casserole instead of string bean.  The idea that we are part of a chain of family and camaraderie that can stretch millions of miles, cross acres of ocean; link centuries of history to hundreds of cultures- we are human and we are family.

To be filled with the Glory that only can be won and lost through your kin and to embrace that glory and turn it into love and acknowledge the courage you have from it- that is to SHINE.

So, as I look for reasons to Shine, I do not look to technology, but to those that reflect the importance of loving and life- my family.

  Happy Thanksgiving!

"The Houndslake Community centers around a 27- Hole Championship golf course in the Aiken area. Designed by Joe Lee, who designed the likes of La Costa, Doral, and Disney World.  The three nines provide pleasure to the average golfer and a memorable challenge to the advanced player. All three nine holes play to a par of 36 and average just over 3,300 yards each. Our Azalea and Dogwood nines boast over 50,000 Azaleas planted during construction in 1974 to compliment the splash of Dogwood, Holly, and Kalmia in the area." quote from the Houndslake Country Club website.

Rumors are running around that Club Owner, Weldon Wyatt, is going to close the Laurel Golf Course at Houndslake Country Club.  The reason stated by the Aiken Standard Newspaper is: Lack of Play and residents and members say they do not play because of poor maintenance of the course.  As you can see in this beautiful photo by Thom Abbott, of Southside Gallery, the 9-holes are along water and the wooded areas close to Hitchcock Woods.

The houses along this course are some of the most valuable in the development, but now these values are in jeopardy.  This course is an integral part of the community and closure could collapse the housing values in this area of Aiken.  I encourage Aiken residents and members of the Club to help save the Links!  Start Playing the Laurel, again!  Call a member and play, if you are not a member become one, everyone in this part of Aiken needs to help support the future of the golf course.

The economic devastation that this closure would bring to the Aiken housing market does not benefit anyone.  I hope citizens that live in Houndslake will write letters in protest of this closure.  The Members of the Houndslake Country Club need to join forces and stop this devastating action.  Help Save the Laurel 9!  Write to the newspaper and the club, get your voice heard.  The membership was not asked about the Club's sale to Wyatt, but now the members need to stand up and be counted, not only for the Laurel, but for our economy! 

Leave the Herd Behind- Realtors can Lead the Way!

In the Preamble of the Realtor Code of Ethics, we as members are charged with protecting the Nation's future and security:

"Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization.  Realtors should recognize that the interests of the Nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership."

Therefore, we can no longer follow the herd of negative media nor can we perpetuate the glutinous ways that the bubble provided.  The future of the real estate industry around the World and the future of the Global economy lies within each of us to turn the tide of negativity into a tsunami of possibility. 

This quote in an article for CNNmoney, What this economy means to you- Real Estate by: Stephen Gandel and Paul J. Lim:  "In the long run none of what we're doing now is going to matter that much to real estate," says Wellesley economics professor Karl Case. "Home prices have to do with the scarcity of land and perception of that scarcity."  It is clear, that Realtors need to be positive and be the leaders in getting positive news out to the public, since the media is not going to, they are to busy herding the public in the wrong direction.

Wall Street has led America into a deeper situation thanRealtors led the housing market, and we are begining to change that situation, without a government bailout of our industry.  The investment, banking and insurance industries have left every taxpayer and home owner with a debt to pay-while some of them are having facials and playing golf- but we, as Realtors, can be the positive voice in the midst of the financial panic. 

Another economist interviewed by Gandel and Lim, believes that regardless of who is elected in November, we will see taxes rise and cautions that the real estate market is key to stopping the crisis and turning the World economy around.  "Bethune adds, "if the economy continues to tank into a deeper recession, dragging the housing market along with it, then the costs to the taxpayers easily could escalate to several hundred billions of dollars." 

We, REALTORS, cannot stand by and allow this to happen.  We need to stand-up and say to everyone that there are positive things happening in our industry: $7500 first time buyer's incentives, wide selection of good inventory, loan products from local banks that are intune with the local market, anything positive.  We also need to create the scarcity required to shift the supply and demand.  This means that if a listing is not priced right in this market, or the seller is just speculating or the divorced couple does not need to sell except to eliminate bad memories; it should not be listed.  We all need to be heroes to the American economy and not take a listing that does not need to be sold, yet.  It will be best for ALL concerned to wait- explain the need to wait and hold firm.  We need to set our individual gains aside for the reconstruction of the National economy.  I am advocating a united front that puts the National security ahead of individual gain, but that wisely promotes a free market with logical restraint.  List if it is right, but some sellers think they need to downsize because of the economy, when in fact, if they do they may get upside down instead of out securely.

Realtors need to lead by being positive about the industry and being prudent in our business.  If we are a united voice of positive hope, than we can divide the public herd and redirect them away from the negative media influence.  There are well-built, fair priced and good values on the market everywhere, find them and encourage buyers to buy and sellers to sell.

The Housing Market is turning around and with Every Realtor finding the positives in their market, we can turn the entire economy around.  Break free from the negative herd and be the positive change that America needs, now!

-Jane Page Thompson - Realtor: Aiken, SC

In an article for The New York Times, "Forget Logic; Fear Appears to Have the Edge" by Vikas Bajaj interviewed several behaviorists and financial analysts to pin point the reason we fear the loss of money over the joy of earning, winning or gaining.  This prompted me to think about how the World really got here.  Bajaj's lead into the story was: "The technical term for it is "negative feedback loop." The rest of us just call it a panic."  If the panic is so great and people are killing themselves to escape the debt, why do we listen?  Why don't we turn off the negative feedback loop?

Bajaj's article went on to interview financial mangers and one, William Ackman, a prominent hedge fund manager in New York, said: "What's happening is people are crawling into a bunker and pulling an iron sheet over their heads because they think the sky is falling."  Unfortunately that is not what is happening, people are so consumed by the panic that they can speak nor emote of anything else.  Again, I asked why we have this fear and panic spreading over the Globe.  Why don't we turn it off?  And then it came to me, we need a "Global Off Day". Every human being in the World needs to send a clear message to ALL forms of media: "We don't want the spread of panic that you thrive on!"

World Markets are failing, Nations are going bankrupt and people want to first blame the real estate industry, then the banking industry, then the President- but who is really to blame?  We are, for buying into Media Hype.  And not just the news, but advertising as well, we bought into the need to buy ads and now we are buying into the fear of loosing it all and that has the World on edge.  Yet, in all of the blame game the media has not accused themselves.  Media outlets and marketing companies have not been called in front of the Department of Justice, Free speech comes with great responsibility and the World Media has failed to be respectful stewards of that freedom.  They, like everyone else need to take some responsibility for the Global panic.  And the power of the marketing companies with subliminal tools is another debate, altogether.

After 9/11, Psychiatrists were successful in their push to take the images off of the screen and in coverage of Iraq, Americans are not shown disturbing images- well if disturbing images are too much for the viewers, why then is the negative reporting and fear based journalism that is feeding the financial panic allowed to stay on the screen and front-page.

"Global Off Day", maybe a silly idea, but if it saves a life, stops reactionary selling or affords a family quality time together, lets take a day off from the media.  No "Live at Five", No News Hours, No front page panic story, No radio, No Internet home pages- a boycott against the media and their negative reporting.  Let's force them to publish good news stories on the front page, talk to happy people on the TV & Radio.  The World needs a time-out from the negative hype- we need to turn off the negative feedback loop.

Did you hear the Good News?

"The dollar rises against the Pound and the Euro in Tuesday late trading", According to the Associated Press- New York, NY.

~ The dollar is getting stronger 

~ First time Home Buyers can take advantage of a $7500 incentive

~ Record number of units for sale means a great selection for Buyers

~ Condo markets are holding according to National Assoc. of Realtors

~ Loan Products are out there, for qualified buyers, with flexible terms

~ Now is time to establish relationships with local providers: bankers, investment counselors & Realtors

~ Real Estate is Local and so is Banking, Build our economy back by investing locally

Remaining calm, positive and proactive in the wake of the current market conditions will do more than loosing faith in America by perpetuating what the negative media spin.  When confronted with the question: "Is the Real Estate Market as bad as they make it out to be?"  Say "NO!" and repeat any one of the points of Good News listed above.  The Positive change our Economy needs- is You!

We Must, We Must, We Must Increase Our Bust & the Dollar, too!

With the Economic turmoil being felt around the Globe, Realtors need to see the positives!  I am not walking around with blinkers on, nor do I profess to be a sage economist, but I do believe that if everyone involved in the real estate industry found one positive thing to say every morning, to everyone they meet, about the market, then we will be a loud voice pointing to the good and not being sucked into the bad.

Today, Go forth knowing that the dollar is strengthening against the Euro and the Canadian Dollar and that Gold is hitting record highs.  With some positive calisthenics, the dollar may continue to build its power back and that is good for the American economy!

Imagine a world without "For Sale or Lease" Signs, imagine newspapers without real estate sections.  Think of banks without mortgage departments, insurance companies without homeowners policies.  Can you see your sidewalks free from apartment & real estate guides, how about no Home Depot or Lowes.  Yes, these are all symbols of our indulgent economy, but they are also the bedrock of that economy.  Real Estate & Our Industry are not going anywhere, we just need to change the Public's Opinion.

  The National Media has been too long dwelling on the negative, why not embrace the power of the positive!  Let us all join in the chorus(anyone who's job or future depends on the industry); Let's all find the positive and SHOUT it from the streets, sidewalks, to passing cars:  We are America and we shall overcome this economy, too!  We are America and we are Golden!  We are Realtors and we shall lead America out of this economic turmoil.  We are sales people- Let's sell Americans on investing in America for the LONG TERM!

God Bless America.  Now, chest out with pride, arms raised in triumph and declare a positive- in your local market, within the stimulus plan, from the International Economy, find ONE and SHOUT!  We can be Millions of voices with one positive message; and that alone may change the Economic face of the World and it all starts with you, Now - Today!